Large
numbers of immigrants are skilled in precisely the jobs that are hardest
for U.S. employers to fill, according to RebeccaTancredi,
managing director,Upwardly
Global, Chicago, IL, an immigrant-assistance firm.

Upwardly Global estimates that the talent pool of highly skilled,
educated new Americans is more than 1.8 million.

Talented immigrants need help in preparing resumes' and preparing for
interviews to avoid misunderstandings,Tancredisays.
Moreover, immigrants often face ill-considered limits on qualifications
to take professional licensing exams, she says.

The
United States could be more purposeful, as is Canada, in bringing in
people with skills the nation needs, according toTancredi.

2. Further study
warranted. It would be helpful
to schedule additional interviews on this topic.

3. Immigrants
have needed skills. Large numbers of
immigrants are skilled in precisely the jobs that are hardest for U.S.
employers to fill.

4. Immigrants
under-employed. But talented
immigrants often are under-employed because of artificial barriers to
jobs

5. Simple
guidance would help. Simple measures
such as helping immigrants prepare resumes' and prepare for interviews
can avoid misunderstandings.

6. Broaden
eligibility for exams. Limits on
eligibility for professional licensing exams should be eased.

7. Immigrants
should seek help. Well-qualified
immigrants should seek help offered by groups such as Upwardly Global

8. Immigration
should be purposeful. The nation could be
more purposeful, as is Canada, in bringing in people with skills the
nation needs.

Response
Distribution:

Strongly
disagree

Moderately
disagree

Neutral

Moderately agree

Strongly agree

Total Responses

1. Topic is of
value.

0%

0%

14%

71%

14%

7

2. Further study
warranted.

0%

14%

0%

71%

14%

7

3. Immigrants
have needed skills.

14%

0%

29%

43%

14%

7

4. Immigrants
under-employed.

0%

14%

0%

57%

29%

7

5. Simple
guidance would help.

0%

0%

14%

71%

14%

7

6. Broaden
eligibility for exams.

0%

0%

57%

43%

0%

7

7. Immigrants
should seek help.

0%

0%

14%

57%

29%

7

8. Immigration
should be purposeful.

0%

14%

0%

43%

43%

7

Individual Responses:

Bruce
Lundeen (5) (7.5) (0) (2.5) (5) (7.5) (5) (2.5)

3.
Immigrants have needed skills.
The focus should be on finding ways to employ Americans

4.Immigrants under-employed. Inability to speak the [language]Ö

Alan
Miller (10) (10) (10) (10) (10) (7.5) (10) (10)

Ray
Ayotte (7.5) (2.5) (7.5) (10) (7.5) (5) (10) (10)

Tom
Spitznagle (7) (7) (8) (6) (8) (5) (8) (10)

From media reports
it appears that itís not only immigrants that are underemployed in large
numbers but a good many longtime U.S. citizens. Mismanagement of U.S.
immigration policy has saddled the country with large numbers of
relatively untrained immigrants (many of them here illegally) while far
too many skilled immigrants have to wait years to be admitted. So, the
issue is far more complex than strengthening our economy by finding ways
for immigrants to find good employment.

Chuck
Lutz (8) (8) (9) (9) (8) (9) (8) (8)

Lyall
Schwarzkopf (7) (7) (5) (7) (8) (5) (9) (9)

Arvonne Fraser (9) (7) (5) (7) (8) (5) (9) (8)

Good that you held
this. We had experience with an immigrant who is now very successful in
the medical technology field. He was kept when the company was sold and
now lives and works in Connecticut.

Sunny
Ruthchild (na) (na) (na) (na) (na) (na) (na) (na)

What about skilled
horticulturists? I have a young organic orchard that is just beginning
to bear, and it needs a family, preferably an orchardist and a gardener,
to help it develop, and who could ideally invest in the farm and then
inherit it from me.

Merryweather Farm
is on the open prairie of Minnesota. It is far from city life.
Housing is available here at the farm.

How can I find out
if there are immigrants or refugees who might be interested?

The Civic Caucusis a non-partisan,
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